He almost seems dazed and meets my eyes.
"That was it."
Luke and Jon are exchanging words, but I can't even hear them. I'm too caught up in the moment, thrilled for Casey, for Luke, for the world that's going to be blessed with this additional contribution to its rich tapestry of art. This piece of history that had no business being created, but has now somehow transformed several lives.
"You did this, Callie," Casey whispers, tears in his eyes. "Don't ever tell me you're no one."
Speechless, I swallow hard, and gaze back at the booth.
∞∞∞
It's a long day for them, but completely overwhelming for me. Every second, every experience, was so rich and saturated that my brain seems ready to explode by the time they wrap up the session.
Jon plays the track one last time for us, and I think it sounds amazing, but apparently it's not even done. They still have to mix and master it, although not today. The guys want to celebrate, and even my exhausted brain can appreciate why that would be a necessary conclusion to this incredible day.
"We don't have to stay long," Casey assures me as the car pulls up to the entrance of a club. There's a long line snaked to the door, but Eli and Sweeny don't seem deterred in the least as they saunter toward the entrance.
"You sure you're up for this?" I ask Luke as we climb out of the car, and am surprised when he smiles at me.
"No, probably not, but it's kind of mandatory, huh?" he asks with a knowing glint. He understands I'm as (not) excited about this as he is.
The bouncers let us in without even a second of hesitation, and I wonder how everyone else on the planet is able to recognize these guys except for me. No wonder they found my ignorance so amusing.
Casey seems uncomfortable for some reason, and I see him constantly glancing at Luke. I do as well, and notice he's stiffened quite a bit, a huge change from his smile just a moment ago.
"It's not the same club as that night," Casey whispers, leaning close to my ear so I can hear him. "But it's similar."
I meet his gaze, concerned, then look back to Luke. "Should we go?" I ask Casey, suddenly terrified for some reason. "Is he ready for this?"
"I don't know. We need to keep an eye on him."
We're both studying Luke now, and relax a bit when he requests a table. The club is packed, so I'd be shocked if they have any available, but the hostess consults with some colleagues, and before I know it, we're being led past more security and up a set of stairs to a secluded balcony. There are maybe five other tables surrounded by couches up here, and the hostess shows us to the empty one.
"Please let us know what you need," she says, and Sweeny recites a surprisingly extensive list.
She smiles and promises to have that sent right up.
"You good?" I ask Luke, dropping beside him.
He gives me a weak look. "I don't know yet," he says, staring through the railing at the packed dance floor below.
I loop my arm through his and lean against his shoulder.
"We got you, kid," I say, and can feel him relax.
I sense Casey's gaze and reach over with my other hand to grab his. He squeezes back, and the three of us sit in silence while Eli and Sweeny take off to one of the other tables.
"You know them?" I ask, and cringe at Luke and Casey's amused grins.
"Do you not have any relationship with pop culture? Like, at all?" Casey asks in disbelief.
I shrug with a sheepish smile, and he shakes his head.
"That's Andis Carver and Kendra Malkin, hon," Luke explains, his expression mirroring Casey's.
My jaw drops. "Wait, the real Andis Carver and Kendra Malkin? Like, the movie stars?"
Luke laughs. "Yes, the movie stars."
"Wow. I can't believe I'm ten feet away from them!"
I can feel Casey and Luke's looks of disbelief and turn to them defensively. "What?"
"What?" Casey asks in exasperation.
Luke is laughing so hard now, I don't know what to do except stare in utter confusion. Casey is just shaking his head, obviously just as confused by me.
"What?" I repeat, totally lost.
"Callie! You're best friends with Luke Craven, freakin' dating Casey Barrett, superstars from rock sensation Night Shifts Black, and what finally impresses you is that you're at the same club as Andis Carver?" Casey cries.
I laugh, finally starting to understand, and shrug with a grin. "I suppose I can see your point … " I grab a napkin and hold it up. "So does that mean I'm not allowed to ask for an autograph?" I tease, and Casey pulls me down and kisses me instead. I giggle and settle against him.
"No autographs," he mutters, and I can actually feel the moment when he rolls his eyes.
∞∞∞
Luke, Casey, and I spend our entire time at the table laughing and talking. It actually turns out to be a fun night, definitely more than I expected when we pulled up, and despite the potentially awkward start, even Luke seems relaxed and in good spirits when we leave. As usual, we lost Eli and Sweeny somewhere along the way, so the three of us return to the suite alone.
"How you feeling, rock star?" I ask Luke, after we're safely back in 403.
He smiles at me. "Good. Better than I thought I would, if I'm honest."
"Yeah? Good. I'm glad."
I give him a quick hug, then take Casey's hands.
"And what about you, my super famous and disgustingly talented boyfriend?"
He shakes his head with that signature Casey Barrett grin. "Knock it off. We get it. You. Don't. Care."
I shrug. "Well, I mean, maybe I would if you'd been in a few B movies and almost got nominated for an Oscar a decade ago."
"I have an Oscar, sweetheart," he returns, and I laugh.
"Point, Barrett," Luke calls from the fridge. "You two want anything while I'm here?"
I squeeze Casey's hands and lead him toward the couch. "Just water for me. How about a movie, guys?"
Casey nods. "I'm in. Luke?"
"Depends. You lovebirds aren't going to make-out the whole time, are you?" he mutters, and I smirk.
"I don't know. Casey's mad at me, so you're probably safe."
Casey shakes his head, and I laugh as he wrestles me to the couch.
"Yep, that's what I thought. I'm out," Luke jokes as he rounds the corner to join us.
"Oh, stop and sit down," I bark, patting the cushion beside me.
He smiles and hands me my bottle of water while Casey and I adjust to more practical positions. I pick up the remote, but hesitate when I sense there's more that needs to be said. Luke has that far-off look again, but there's something different about it this time.
"You ok?" I ask, studying him for any of the usual signs.
He surprises us when the wistful look spreads into a content smile. "You know, a year ago I wouldn't have been able to do what we did tonight without getting wasted and making a dick of myself. Six months ago I wouldn't have been able to even make it through those doors at all. And then tonight … " He looks at me, and my heart swells. "I think I'm a different person now."
"We all are, man," Casey says quietly.
I nod, and search Luke's eyes. "We are. You don't have to be a ghost anymore."
The Next Day.
We all fall asleep on the couch this time. I know because I wake up a few times during the night to see Luke asleep on the vertical side, while I share the horizontal piece with Casey. But by the time I get up the following morning, Luke is gone. I wonder if he moved back to his room, since I don't see him anywhere in the main area of the suite.
I force myself up and stretch, feeling nervous for some reason, but not wanting to totally give in to such an irrational feeling. We had a great night. We'd found an Andis Carver classic, and Luke was in good spirits throughout the movie, joking and laughing with us. So why is my heart pounding in my chest just a few hours later?
I almost laugh out loud to myself at this ridiculous rush of adrenaline as I move to the hallway. The guest room is empty. The office. The extra bathroom. Of course they are because Luke is in his room. Asleep, maybe showering, and I'm going to disturb him because I suddenly can't breathe and feel like I'm suppressing a scream. I swallow and knock.
No answer.
I knock again.
Nothing.
My hands are shaking now and suddenly I know why. My heart stops as the alarm takes over. What did Elena do with her last breaths? Remind the people she loved most how important they were.
No. No!
I shove through Luke's door, completely frantic now.
"Luke!" I cry, sudden tears burning my eyes. "Luke, where are you?"
His bed is empty, still made from room service the day before. His bathroom is dark. I turn the light on, but it's empty, too.
"Casey!" I cry, running from Luke's room back to the hallway. My frantic screams have startled him awake, and he bolts up from the couch, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
"What? What's wrong?"
"It's Luke! He's gone!"
Casey looks confused. "What do you mean he's gone?"
I shrug helplessly, not even sure where to start. "I don't know. He's not here! I was worried about him and went to check on him and he's not in his room, not in the office!"